1.  Elias DUSTMAN1 was born on 11 Mar 1812 in Ohio.2,3 The 1840 census for Ohio (Wheeling, Guernsey County) shows that Elias (Dusman) Dustman and Emanuel Berlin were neighbors.4 In the 1850 census for Ohio, Guernsey County5 (Wheeling) is the following: Elias Dusman (note missing letter) 38, farmer; Eliza, 35; Anne E., 13; Rebecca, 8; John A., 3; Mary, 1. Elias Dustman arrived in Illinois in April, 1853 (family record). He died on 9 Apr 1856 in Avon, Union Township, Fulton County, Illinois.6 Elias Dustman was one of the earliest persons buried in the Avon cemetery.

A source of information concerning Elias Dustman, his wife and children has been the family Bible (published in 1770 and printed in German). The Bible is bound in leather and the outside front cover has a large hand-tooled "M" and the outside back cover has a similarly tooled "D". This would be consistent with an assumption that the original owner, probably his father, was Martin Dustman. The Bible contains the following notes: "Elias Dustman was born the eleventh day of Mars in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and twelf. Anne Elizabeth Dustman was born the first of October in the year 1837 and was babtist by Georgh Hatter a Luseren pricher on the 24th of october 1837.

Rebecca Ann was born the 24 day of November in the year of our Lord 1841. John elexander was born the 27 day of May 1847. Mary Theneth was born the 5 day of August 1849." A source from Ohio indicates that Elias Dustman and Elizabeth Berlin (of Canfield, Ohio) were married on 23 May, 1833 by Shadrack Bond.

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He was married to Elizabeth "Eliza" BERLIN (daughter of John BERLIN and Elizabeth MAUER) on 6 Jun 1833 in Mahoning County, Ohio.7  Elizabeth "Eliza" BERLIN1 was born on 13 May 1814 in Greensburg, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.7,2,8  The date of birth on the gravestone is 21 May 1814. She was christened on 21 Aug 1814 in Greensburg, Pennsylvania.  She appeared on the census in 1850 in Wheeling Twp., Guernsey County, Ohio.5 She appeared on the census in 1860 in Union Township, Fulton County, Illinois.9 Eliza (Berlin) Dustman (46) was living with her daughter (Elizabeth) and husband John Mummey in 1860. Daughters Rebecca (18) and Mary (10), and son John (13), were also living together in the family unit. Eliza Dustman (54) was residing with daughter Elizabeth and John Dustman in 1870.10 She died on 26 Apr 1893 in Avon,7 and was buried on 28 Apr 1893 in the Avon cemetery. From the obituary of Elizabeth (Berlin) Dustman: "Mrs. Dustman was ill for several months with catarrhal fever before her death. She was conscious and talked with the family until the last moment. Her ancestors were from Germany. When 16 years of age the family moved to Mahoning County, Ohio, where she was married to Elias Dustman. In 1853 they came to Avon and she has lived here ever since. Mr. Dustman died Apr. 9, 1856 and her daughter, Rebecca, in 1864. Of the four children born to them, three survive her; Mrs. Lizzie Mummey and Miss Mary Dustman of Avon, and John Dustman of Coldwater Michigan. After the death of her husband, she purchased a house on Woods Street and has lived there with her daughter Mary until now. She was a devoted mother, a kind neighbor and had a wide circle of friends. Her life was quiet yet full of kind acts. She was universally known as "Grandma" Dustman and was passionately fond of flowers."